The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-08
THE WRONGS OF IRELAND.
The Tory Coercion Act Strongly De-
nOunced at Last Nights Meeting.
Speeches of Gray. Turpie, Harrison, Porter
and Others Condemning British Tyranny
"A Cable Message to the Irish Leaders.

"A Cable Message to the Irish Leaders.
The meeting of citizens at Masonic Hall. last
night. to formally express their sentiments on
the Irish coercion act was most earnest IN spirit.
1t was called to order by Hon. S. P. Sheerin.
Governor Gray took the chair. and there was
a long and representative list of e-presidents
and secretaries. Governor Gray thanked the
audience for the honor conferred upon him in
calling him to preside. He said they had as
sembled as citizens of Indiana and Of the
United States. a liberty-loving people,
to give expression to what they be-
lieved to be the sentiment of this
people on the coercion bill, which, il enacted
into a law, will still more firmly rivet the bonds
of oppression that have SO long bound the down
trodden and oppressed people of Ireland. This
the speaker characterized as a violation of the
spirit of Magma Charta as it will, If enacted
into a law, deprive the dweller in ireland
charged with an offense of trial at his own home
and by his countrymen and peers He did not
believe it offensive the part of the people of
America to lift up their voices against oppres-
sion everywhere and against tyranny wherever
it may be enacted.
who, at some length, reviewed the recent cleo
tions in Great Britain. and showed thereby the
advance Of the Irish cause toward delayed,
but nevertheless assured. triumph He Wig
orously denounced the terms Of the coercion and
the tyranny that proposed to transport persons
accused of crime to another country for trial.
He said there would one day be an end of for
eign domination and alien misrue in Ireland,
and then would come peace. plenty and prosper
ity to gallant, generous and long suffering peo-
pie who have done much good for England and
for mankind. with but small return.
Senator Harrison then spoke He said: at
may be suggested that We are engaged tonight
| in an act that savors somewhat of impertinence
| that the question of pending legislation re-
lating to Ireland, which is the subject of discus
| sion in the British Parliament, was not proper
| subject of discussion in an American town meet
| ing. But the man who makes that suggestion
| doesn't understand the scope and powers Of an
American town meeting We all understand
| that the American newspaper is free to discuss
| every question There is limit upon this
| Jurisdiction. 1t cannot be suggested that
| may discuss. Now, the American town
meeting has just as broad a jurisdiction.
| We have no official representations to make to
| the British government They take notice
| or not of what we do and say here they please.
| but all the same we will exercise tho liberty of
| sayingit There was time when communica-
ton between nations was so tardy and difficult
that America was separated in it's sympathy,
| but that time has passed. The electric current
has been put into service not only upon the
| land but across the seas. Mankind has
| by this rapid INSTRUMENTATION been
| tied together. The bonds of sympathy
have been strengthened, mutual interests have
| been enlarged, and as an augury. l believe in
| that time when this whole earth will be one COM
monwealth in sympathy and thought No Ca
| lamity involving the lives of men can happen
| now anywhere in the world. whether it be yon-
der in the frozen north or in the South cape of
Africa. that does not receive kindly sympathy
here. and if there is call for help that it does
| not stir the generosity OF the world. l am not
here to discuss the measures OF relief for Ire
land, am not here to suggest that legislation
should take this or that precise form,
but all here will at least agree
that it should De progressive in the direction of
| more liberal government for Ireland than she
| now has. We are not here to suggest to Great
| Britain that she shall concede Irish independ-
ence. The dsintegration of nations is seldom
| by parliamentary enlistment When that comes
it comes as tn fruit and result of successful
revolution. We are here simply to say that, in
our opinion as American citizens, what Ireland
needs is not coercion is not the constable, Is not
| the soldier with musket and bayonet; but what
| she needs is liberal laws. tending to emancipate
| her people from the results OF long centuries OF
| i'll government, and that when this British Min
istry starts in the direction of coercion, and post
| pones suggestions for reform until that coercion
| Dill mas Deen enacted. 1t is traVellug IN the
| wrong direction. It is not possible, in this age
! of the world, to govern people as numerous
| and inhabiting country OF such extent as Ire
land by coercion. That period in the worlds
history when men might be governed By force
| without their consent-their incinations CO.
| creed. ther.aspiratiops for participation in gov
eminent suppressed-is passed away forever.
| More and more the American idea that govern
| ment rests upon the consent of the governed is
making its way in the world If it be true
that the British government finds difficulty in Ire
land in impaneing iures that will convict any
offenses there against the landlord it is because
it is deeply settled in the convictions OF those
| people that those laws are egregiously wrong in
principle and hurtful in their application. That
people cannot be dealt with, having that settled
conviction. by any attempt to coerce those senti
ments, by finding another jurisdiction and venue
In which to try those ohenSes. and the govern
ment becomes failure when that be
comes a necessity We are not without
experience in that IN our own country at the
close of the war. 1 unite with yor
as an American citizen in the expression of ar
opinion, in kindly advice to those who oppose
the adoption of such measures will win the
Irish heart and give to the helpless and pow
erty-stricken in the land of their fathers ad
vancement that will IN the years to come give {
glory that shall gid the brightest years in bel
existence"
Rev. o. C. McCulloch fttincly expressed his
deep sympathy with Ireland in her struggle FOL
justice, and characterized her cause as the caus
of humanity--one in which all the world was
| interested.
/ Ex-Governor Porter then spoke. He said tn
controversies about liberty are not local. The!
concern all mankind and the country that il
the chief champion of liberty has the right a
every town meeting to take part in the debate
The question of national perfdy is not local
Wherever national perfdy has beef
committed the world has the RICH
to exclaim against it. few years ago. wher
the Tory party was put into power. it received
the support of the friends of Irish liberty. /
promised that, though the Tory party had gon
slow, it would be swift to reform Irish wrongs
When the committee was appointed to prepar
the Declaration Of Independence jefferson wa
chosen to say: This King has deprived US i
many cases of the right of trial by jury; he ha
transported US beyond seas to be tried for pre-
tended offenses.' This is what the Tory part
| has offered Irshn1en Our fathers, against thi
wrong. fought the war of the Revolution. an
Irish courage will be equal to an